09:08 AM EDT, 07/31/2024 (MT Newswires) -- (Updated with the American Petroleum Institute's response to a request for comment.)

US Oil and natural gas producers are emitting methane into the atmosphere at over four times the rates estimated by the US Environmental Protection Agency and over eight times their own emissions goals, according to new data from the Environmental Defense Fund.

Data was collected by a specially equipped jet aircraft that measured regions accounting for 70% of onshore contiguous US oil and gas production, the EDF report said. The aggregate emission rate observed across major swaths of the country's 12 big production basins would amount to 7.5 million metric tons of methane per year, according to the report.

The 1.6% aggregate methane loss rate observed across the 12 basins is eight times higher than the 0.2% target adopted by 50 producers representing over 40% of global oil and gas production.

"Our industry is working every day to meet growing energy demand while making significant progress in reducing methane emissions, and we can build on this progress through a sound EPA reporting framework, effective federal regulations and the deployment of advanced detection technologies," said Holly Hopkins, vice president of upstream policy at the American Petroleum Institute, in response to a request for comment. "We welcome transparency and accountability to foster further emissions reductions and advance our shared goal for a cleaner future."

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